For the last few years, we have seen the stories and blog posts about the split in the Republican Party. It's the Tea Party versus the establishment, vying for control of the GOP.  Many independent and third party voices say this is what the political middle needs to finally get a foothold in the political process; this is the opportunity needed to win some seats at the table, join the debates, and change the status quo. However, this may not be possible because the middle is split too.
On Thursday, news was released to the world that former South African President Nelson Madela had died at the age of 95. In recent years, his health had been declining, but that still does not diminish the impact of his passing.

Mandela was born in July 1918. While living in Johannesburg later, he became involved in anti-colonial politics.

In 1948, the government began implementing the policy of apartheid, which he would be a voice against. Although he was a man of non-violence, he co-founded the militant organization, Umkhonto we Sizwe, in 1961.

Fundraising is the backbone of political campaigns. Without the money coming in, candidates are limited to what they can afford and not everyone has pockets like Michael Bloomberg.

Ironically, political parties themselves are private organizations, separate from the candidates they are affiliated with. The money they use for conventions, elections, and their overhead, or housekeeping purposes, are subsidized by the taxpayers. This creates problems with corruption and campaign finance laws, especially during perpetual election cycles.

State and local governments can agree to stand behind each other’s debts. These agreements became more common in recent years, amidst the Great Recession and higher government fiscal stress. In accounting lingo, the deals are called “nonexchange financial guarantees.”

In April 2013, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No.

Genetically-modified food may soon be a thing of the past on Hawaii Island, the largest island in the state of Hawaii. The island's governing council recently passed a bill banning the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and banning biotech companies such as Monsanto from operating in the area.